Cow-milking apparatus



ct. 4 192 1,644,413 O G.'A. BRODIE COW MILKING APPARATUS Filed Jan.6 1925 8 s t s t' 1 N W Q\ u' U Q. 32,1; 1 27.35?"

t G. A. BRODIE COW MILKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6. 1925 8 s t -sheet Oct. 4, 192.7. 1,644,413

G. A. BRODIE cow MILKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1925 8 s s t 3 FJLE E Oct. 4, 1927. ,413.

G. A. aaoma v ,cow umuue APPARATUS Filed Jan.6, 192s- 8'sheets sheet 4 V I 3mm;

Elm: "p145 o n Oct 927 G. A. BRODIE COW MILKING ARPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 4. 1921.

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G. A. BRODIE COW MILKING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 6, 1925 G. A. BRODIE cow MILKING APPARATUS Filed'Jmel 1- 3 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Patented Get. 4, 1927. i

airs s 'G-EORGE A. BRODI-E, OF GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON. I I

COW-MILKING A'PPaRaT s. ,5

Application filediifanuary 6', i925. Serial No. 349.

My invention relates to cow milking apparatus, and, in its broadest aspect, is designed and intended to produce and vdoes produce by mechanical means a substantial reproduction of thejineans and method employed in nillkll gfi COW by hand, withthe addition of means for accompl shing even .better results than can be etiected manually by even the most skillful manipulator.

, i A Veryimportant object of: the present invention resides in the provision of a milking apparatus hc ving teatv chambers and teat compressing members so arranged and constructed that theyi permit the teats to hang free in natural positions during the entire milking operation, inspite otthe shrinkage of the udder and consequent movement of the teats due to the extraction of milk therefrom. V v

One object successfully attained by my invention is the drawing of-milk from a cow by the direct application to the cows teats 'or mechanical means for effectually compressing each teat, as distinguished from that class of milking appliances which operate by suction. 7 I i 7 My machine is moreover, adapted to be attached to the body of a cow, and to be operated by any mode of application of power so as to eii'ect the milking operation by the squeezing of the cows teats'between suitable cooperative V compressing members corre sponding, in effect, to the fingers of the human hand. Also, the actlon of said memhere, being gentle,'efiicient and positive,*is accomplished withoutbeing in any Wise injurious to the'cow, nomatter how long the operation may be continued, evenafter the teat isemptied ofits milk content.

I have embod'ed my invent on in a machine that may be cheaply manufactured,

which is simple and durable in construction and inexpensive to. operate, and which, being comparatively light in weight, maybe easily and readily transportedfroin place to place so as to be quickly attachedto a cow for milking purposes when desired, and to be quickly and easily removed therefrom when the milking operationis performed. 2

Another object'a'ttain'ed by my invention is to produce a machine which is in use clean sanitary, mainly'because its principle of operation permits the milkto pass directly from the teats. ofthe cow nto. a; pa l 0 oth r receptacle suspensible, for example, below the milking apparatus, without any necessity for its coming in contact with the hand s 0t,

the operator or other 0bject,;ancl which also ,f-un'ctiona-te's as a shield between the cow and t na l t p ote he milk in t e p il from the falling of particles of dirt intoit.

Or inarily th iping of after ch. m k ng is su'ifi ent t ke nitin' he ashin clean condition, but the construction of the machine facilitates the't'aking of it apart,

andthe scalding if need'be, of all itsparts, each ofwhich is made of open work construe tion that isieasily accessible tojany cleansing manipulation desired.

fAnother' resultof greatest importance n a'de possible by myinventionis the pro duction of amachine which will milk a' cow entirely dry. It is a- Well known physical fact that it a cowisnot milked thoroughly clean, at each milking, the natural flow of hermilk will gradually diminish will in short t me cease entlrely, This is one essen:

tied in which all-mechanical milkers hitherto have been found wanting. It hasbeen found comparatively eas'yflto get a machine which with ,moreor less success, but-which ,fa-ils in udder is partly drawn out, thelittlecapih laries, mill: veins, and spongy cells of which residue of the milkyalld Will notlet, it all descend into the teats. For that reason no machine that has been" hitherto devised will thoroughly, harmlessly, and completely milk a cow. Even in the usevo'f'so-calledsuccessfulsuction n lkers, watchful care must be so will,"at the beginning of its operatiom nilk i the ,end, because after the' nilkcontent of the i 7 the udder is by nature Icompo'sed,'hold up a" exercised to preventiiijuriousapplication of excessive suct on andexpensive hand strip-4 ping becomes a practical essential to COMPE- SHQGQ SiTi LYn tm lY bl s .i rips e ea gof a m lkreceivs lby it tronilt ie ucl-v der, but alsovbecalise by proyisio'n' in asepsration 0i means 01? {imparting to the udder e r Whiehia s m re e i am n ,1n1idging of; the

a c ns an gentle veg ic.

udder which acalf gives, it;induce'stlie to; discharge into "the teats its entire milk so ten wh h i e 'wa d thou man p 'tion of the milking operation; Inthisdis-V ti'nc'tlve part cular, 1 my mach ne ijsie tirei ulation', drawn ofi entirely by theiinachine, A Am he rha a teristi e ture my 11 ventionis that is enables the operation of milking to be, at a considerable saving of time, performed by sets of cooperative comjottively small stroke, while, for the, purpose of -puttlng the apparatus in place upon, a cow or for removing it when the milking'is done, means are employed for providing in ea'ch j instance named a comparativelylar-ge space l for the receptionfofthe cows'teats between each pair of said members as is hereinafter specified. Y I a It should-beifurtherobserved that my machines, by reason of' their constructive and functional. novel features, as above enumerated. for example, may be employed in groups, each grou comprehending a large ynumber of units, and all operable, for-ex source of power. By reason thereof, each of su'ch groupS maybe placed under the.super-. vision of'a single attendant without danger.

1i With the foregoing and other obviously Q ,i llew and useful objects in view, what constitutes my invention will be hereinafter the appended claims.

- :is shown my inventionjcomplete inpresent preferred form ofe'mbodiment, f I

Figure I is atop plan view of my'ma- "chine, with the cover plate ofthe frame cap I ifandshowingfsaid', parts in therelative' posi ti'onsftheyjassume when, the compressmg opened preparatory eitherto the application jCoft-hefmachine to acow for milking, or to its it removal after the' milking operation. 7

EigureiIllis a longitudinal vertical sec- 44$ ,II- II j lookingf in the) direction, of the ar-. L rows,'-.and showin'gfin placethecoverplate l y verticalsection on the line:IVIV-of Figure I and ofFigleft from the section line indicated. U

.;Fig'ure,V is a View similar to FigureIV,

butjlooking to the right from said section o i F e a b t m pla v j f yii'achine complete,ishowing the driving gear thereof exposed by' removalof'thelid of the iiiepositions asjin practical operation ofthe pressing members having each a c0mpara ampleffrom a line shaft or other single.

"id q-ib dfin detail and succinctly d fi d I Intheiaccompanying drawings, in which tremovedito show theinteriorworkingparts,-'

'supporting the deviceupon a cow.

members 'onfingers are "approximately fully tion partly in elevationtaken on the line I a'umvrr, respectively,.-that is,'looking .to the;

' 'as shown by comparison; of Figures I and page in which it wo'rksf the-"jfour sets of fingers being shown in their success ve rela ar ue wewew sa chine with thecap plateand parts carried thereby removed, showing the finger-actuatingmechanism inplaceiin the frame, and also showing the two sets of fingers to the left in their completely closed positions, and

.the other two sets of'fingers in correspondingly open positions. v ,FigureVIII is, a side elevation of my complete machine as illustrated in Figure VII, showing the relative positions in successive vertical order of operation of the two sets of compressing members o-r fingers which are visible from one-side of'the ma chine; v

Figure IX is a longitudinal section partly in elevation, showing the yielding drivingsupports for two complementary sets of the compressiong members or fingers. I

end of the body of a. cow showing diagram:

mat icallyrthe. means of suspending my mag chine-therefrom and the mode of 1ts appl1cation to the cow.

Figure XIII is a rear view or one taken at right angles to that shown n the'previous Figure XII is a side elevation of the rear figure, the conformation of part of the body of the cow being, only so far as need be, indicated in mere outline.

XIV' is a top plan of the saddle Refe'rring to the-numerals Ton-the drawings, 1 indicates the bottom plate of a supporting or assembling frame which carries all the working parts of the machine 1n apl V jpropmateworkmg relationship. It is provided preferably with end walls 2' and 3, an intermediate transverse vertical partition or "compartment 4, and transverse wing walls 5,

6, 7, and '8, each parallel to the op-posite'side walls which'with two oblique end walls9 T'define the compartment 41 A cap plate 10 which corresponds substantially in plan contour to the bottomplate l, is detachably secured to the plate 1 upon top'of the side walls thereof, as by screws 12 inserted through ears 'l3, and threaded into lugs 15,

VII.

for

no I

The external face of the bottom plate I may be substantially flush over all except for the'outwa-rd projectiontherefromiof' a vgear box 16. 'Ihie capplate 10. preferably "comprises'a' continuous side wall 17 which extends all around it and makes a snug slip fit with t-hewalls upstanding from the plate '1, wings 18 having-flanges 19, being pro- .vided on the plate 10 as coverings for the laterally. extendedendsof the 'qQmpail tment I i-lThe said anglelstri s are substantially identicalin form and unction, the arm 56 of eachterniinating in a, foot "piece 60 pro- 1 jected' as by bending the metal of the strip into parallel relationship to the arm 55.

In like manner the fingers 37 and 38 are movably secured to thesiole rails 32 and '31,v

respectively, the angle'strips therefor, inasmuch asthey are substantially identical with those already described, being indicated as a whole by numerals61 62, and'the runners or clip sleeves to which they are affixed 1 being indicated by numerals G iand 65, re-

2 V spectively 'The foot pieces of; the angle strips'61 and 62 are indicated, respectively,

"by a numeral 66. 7 1

1 The vertical thicknessof each finger and "the distance of their separation one from -i "pflnbtllel' in series maybe varied inthe exer and distance of separationpreferably correcise of sound discretion, but both thickness f f ond substantially-to the avera e size and --disposition of fingers on the humanhand.

The milking fingers49 and are clon gated to providebetween them'elongated teat chambers or spaces in order to-allow for the V shrinkage of thefu'dder. and teats With consequent. inwardv movement of the-latter so fthat they hang perfectly'freeand in their 'natura-LpoSit-mns at all times, since upon shrinkage the teats move inwardly alongithe elongatedfaces of the milking fingers without obstruction. It will be obvious that the milking fingers 49/and 50, and the chambers, provided between them are arranged, to extend transversely of thecjow whenthe appa- Jratus is associated therewitln It will alsobe particularly noted that the outer ends of the teat chambers are open and unrestricted for the free inward placementof the teats when mite free hanging of the teats, especially when shrinkage, of the udder occursiduringfl the milking operation, and after a, quantity of milk' has been extracted therefrom;

Driving power is communicated tothe ma chine preferably from aQshaft 7 9 which is journalled in opposite endwallsof the gear boxl'fig iwithin which it is provided with a e worm 80 which meshes with a; worm gear 81,

" both said worm and gearbeing preferably I carried, in an oil bath ensealed in the gear 7 box. The gear 81. isfixed to a rotatiye vertical arbor 82 'which is journalled substan tiallylat its op osite' endsfin bearings ref specti'vely isprovi ed for itin' the bottom, plate;

' 1 afidiin-vtlieplate 10 ,twhenthose plates are sjembled.

V I 'I he'-arbor" 82 ispreferably niadebetween d P m-aisq e gee-sa a lv ,trated, for the purpose of irrevolubly uniting it to each one of a vertical series .of super- 1 posed cams 83 that is carried by it. s

One cam 83 for each ofthe finger-support- I ing frames is providedand whenthree cams are employed, as shown in therpreferred' form of embodiment of. my machine illus- .trated,.the.shape of'eachcam is preferably that of a quarter sector, as shownin' detail .in Figure XI.

The preferred operative disposltion on the arbor 82 of the said several cams in their several relationships, may be understood from comparison of Figures III, Y, and VII. The several functions of each of said cams is to actuate its appropriatefinger-support ing frame, and 'to that end each of said frames is confined to a definlte plane of reciprocatlon, asby means ofgulde screw-p1ns 85 and 86 threaded next to their heads into the end walls'3 and 2,resp'ectively. The in-' wardly projecting smoothends ofsaid pins extend through bearing apertures 87 and .88, provided for them in theend rails'27 and33, respectively, as shown in Figure X, and serve, in the assembled machine, to'limit the reciprocatory movement of thefinger-sup porting frames to the respective planes desiredfin each instance.

yThe means provided on eachofthe finger supporting frames for operative" engage ment with their respective cams 83,]p'r'eferably consists oflugs 90 and 91, which, projecting towards each other from the end rails2T and 28, respectively, terminate each in acam-engaging roller 92. The rails 31 and 32 being united to the rail 28, the actuzition imparted by the cams '83 through the rollers 92 actuates the entire frame illustrated'in Figure X;

Said actuation is communicated to the pair of fingers 35 and 36 and to the pair 37 and 38, with acushioning or'yi'eldin g effect in order that the compressionof the cows teatsproduced by movement of said fingers ployed for, that purpose consists preferably of coiled ,springsfit and 95 disposed about guide rods 96 and 97, respectively. Two

rods 96 and two rods 97 are preferably employed, the rods 96 being each 'lo osely connectedat one end as indioatedat v98 to a pro- 'jection- 99 on one end of the runner or clip sleeve 57] and 58, respectively, and h-aving its opposite end working in a guide aperture pi'ovidedvfor it in theend rail 27, and the 1 other rods 97 being each inlike manner coir;

or clip sleevefil and-65;

nected to its runner respectively, i r V I V 1 Due to'the foregoing arrangement ofactuating elementsfor the milking fingers 49, it"

'will be apparent that these fingers. are moved toward their'cooperating stationary fingers solely through the action of the cams 83, which cause the, frames 27 28, 29,30, 31am,

' 11o shall be of a gentle nature. The m n g I deeeele f drtetpextmct the "mil an yet not h It'will also be npted that due to the foregoin arrangement th'eliliilkihg finge 's h) are moved beekwards and ferwards by the action of the wins 83 upon the 1'ec-ip1 0eating frames 27 to 32 to: comparatively short distgnce, just sufiieient to allow the milk to fipW intthe' teats, but by pressing betel: the mov ble fing s, 49 the pr ng 9e. allow these fing'el s' t6 m ve were cdmpe e i y long distance; thlls lll ttkillg" g1 large "space for the fiserti 'n 0 he ee l' hen pla ing the mac'hhie in operative engagement with "a;

owp I p The spri g :94, for; each rod" 96 is interg pgse d'between a hut 1'01 threaded to the red next to that end thereof which is adjacent to its supporting pr j ct-i n 99, a d h a rail 27 1 The] plf ee O t e. n ts a? ef s -mee r Pf p lyf ediu vt li he pp iveri Qt th spr ngs 52 bc es bhf imy d6 man-d." -.1 In like 1112111116 as that jest described, the re 9: e e nected wi h proj ct on 102 in; tlijrn nnefs "61 clip sleeves Mfgmd '1'espe'c tively, Nuts fQlfr the reds 97, genespoxlding to those provided for the rods'SlS ere indieated by numerals 103.

pe v ly, e p o ided. 0 prt u O the rods- 96 21nd97 through said end walls: wheneeeasienthefefoy isfpresented by at; t'ainlnent snh'sta-ntiig lly of" the'linljt o'f sepa zttion etween thehwifqlble" fingers i ll'ushated, fer eigalnp lej, in Figure J YT )5 limi f iie t m 11' 11st ref r d o s hat" ip d'when h m me? i abo e be m tter t a W' Prem're QryJt-Q m lk ng her 0 15 ebqt'lt te be retrieved from her afte'f milking-[and is accomplished by pesittve means provided for the plllfpfisfl Such mews-qcm i ts p etere ly ot'm he selh le wi h" t e Cap pla e and e er d therewith bjzitfs side will 17 and eovefplete 21 Its Working" parts re Well, hdwn i Figures I and II, fer e ample, to wh ieh reference may now'belm'd", shown therein, thewall 17 is nzujrowed asj indipated at to form ghi'de'ways between them f r' two" slide bags 10? and 108' that fire suseeptible' of independent ireeijpgocttory lnotidn .o'ne against the otherg T s id. bel f e t ely" n d y 1 1G9 and 1 10; each pivoted at its 0ppje sitedellids AS indi'eated at and 112, to' the b t ele et 'a WQlT- ar" 1 and: o the For imparting rotary motion tov the gear po x tien's' theside' Wall may tee played a eranlghandle 117, ferpe'x ztmple, he; 111g? provlded .as means 'fol'r rotatmg said shaft! The'slide 1321x 107 carries at its end remote mm the gear 114, a; er ossheadfllS from opposite ends ot which depend thronghfdblong slots/" 111 the p1ate10 parallel legs 1f22 which" engage the foot pi'eees 66 on the angle stiip aims (SI-and 62', respectively; With the "dperati ve efieet Of compelling the jrnnners ee'end'ezs t0*e'O 1n press theii springs 95.- At'its' end adjaeent to the"gea-r"114; the bar 107 is defleeted I lateiallyas indicated $151128.

In like manner, asishown fonexaniple in Figure'f'll, the slide bat-1081s laterally de are inreflect conjoined to straddle the "ver'tif c'a'l sleet-t W-hieh', imbe'ai'ings pr'wided for 1n the plate 10 end in the cove plate; 21, liespeet vely, carries the, gear ll-at.- ,"lhe

which hiinreeted fo rth'e' accommodation to. 1138 reciprocal mbvement of the shaft 126 and the Wbrm 1'15;

Eachi en'dv of the efess-headl27 hes'a'depending leg 128 corresponding in functionto the-legs 1225; The legs 128 'work'in slots I 129 previded' for them) respectively, in-"the plate 1'0, and engage" the 'feotpiecesfifl With like effect upon the'In-as that produc d-11 m the foot ie'ces 66 by'their' engagement'with' then-le 122-, a been, previously scribedi" p,

8, is 'toft-ffefdf means of snp'pert forthema: j

ing,eperatien.' For'that pu pose said'wingi wan Bisp ei-Ted'with thewing wan 7 and? Eacho f said pairs "of wlng wzillsis pref era'bly united by' one of two'swingihg bails 13 0 ehd1l3 1',respectively, and tcj eti'chfbail a; s'u spens ry device, preferably a kindofharness is "fastened'f In this 'coiinection it'islde sinabl'and' practically necessary to provide I ln eans of suspension which by conformin to the anh-tqmy of theenimal may leelis'edv with the best mechanical efficieney Without diseomfer't to the cow A000 rdingly, I pre fer t0 PI'OVICIB'IZIS' a means of suspensions;

saddle having; e'nd trees 133'a nd 134 to fit comfortably on the back ofthe'c0W.;{The saddle-carries 0111 top-0f it, at a point 'lsubf stenti'allyhnidwey "between the treest'wo pairsfof grooved pnlle ys 1 36' and 137, fWhieh, when infiplztee, afe-d ispesed' substantially in the same-vertical planewith?thetefitiqtlaxie I Of the ed'v vsudder indieeted'byth ik mr el 138,.inIFi'g'1'u'e XII 'of the drawings.

eve-1 the pair of pulleys vfree11 1;;I 139 y L 'cord 139 over'and clearof the cows fback, {It terminates at its opposite ends in a stirrup; having terminal hooksl40 and 141 udder-V138 may be gently ,efiected.

I whichengage the bails 130 and 131, res'pectively, and is preferably provided'above each hookstirrup' with a tensile spring 143,

by which adjustment of the vmachine to the ver the pulleys 137 passes a cord 144-by which a pail 145 may-be hung, underneath a the'udder'and the machine applied-thereto. 'Inpractice it will: no doubt be found de- 'sirable tovprovide amachine and a harness therefor for each cow, because of the fvariationinthe sizes of cows and in the confor- 'mation of their udders and teats. Machines H will be made of certain standard sizes such as may be found suitable for, groupsof cows of cert-ain average sizes and conformations, the object .being, ofr course, to provide the rightsize of machine'for each cow. Ina

herd nearlyljuniform in size'and conformationfit would be feasible tocarryonema 1 chine from cow to; cow gand even to use the sameharnes's,thishowever,is a detail which;

' .will 'readilysolveitself:infthejface of actual -conditions of use in any given instance,

i r ,j Assumingthat selection hasb Inview of the foregoing specification, the wmethod of operation .of. .my 7 apparatus: may

be, in brief, described as; follows. I y

en made; of

- p machine of proper size ,to suit the cow to; be milked,- and that the harness has been i properlyfitted, the machine isffirst adjust- :ed 'it of the, position f the fingers shown in Figure, -1; -jThereupon' the operator, while holding the apparatus with the left hand onlthenear; side of ;the cow and draws the it machine upward in such manner that the tea sfall naturally and freely into the spaces respectively provided for them between the four pairs of fingers 3 542, whenthe said hookwill. engage the bail on the near side of5the machine-so as to hold it-firmly against the indder. After this is, done, then in the same manner the operator fastens the cord to the pailso. as to'suspend the same )inderv the udder of the cow Next a flexible V r shaftrfor example-not shown having been slipped over thedriving shaft 7 9, the machine is ready for operation, Toeffect op;- ,erationof the machine, the handle 117 is rotated'inrequired directionuntil the movable fingersto38 are returned-to their operative positions and power is applied'to {the shaft? W A salient feature of my inventionis de-,

rived from the arrangement and peculiar shape of the cams 83. They are so designed I and made that the time of one entire revolution of any one cam is in effect divided into four equal parts. One fourth of the time ,thereof is consumed in causing the appropriate movable finger-supporting frame (Figure X) to move in'one direction, say inwardly. -One fourth of the time is 'occupied in holdingin a state of'rest, saidfframe and the movable lingers it carriesin place 1 at its extreme inward position. One fourth of the time is consumedin reversing the direction of movement ofthe said movable frame causing it to, move outwardly to its extreme outward position. 7

ing the said movable frame in a state of rest in its extreme outwardpos'iti0n orjthatin which the ,milk m'ay fiow readily into the teat. "To secure best 7 v rotated at a high "rate of speed-say from 3,000 to 5,0o0yrevolutions to the minute, but

the rate of s'pe'edis subj set to variation up or down.

I n The remaining one fourth of the time s consumed in holdresults, the driving shaft is The result will i be not" only 1 to reduce the time of milking to a minimum, but also to produce, through the rapid reciprocation of the finger-supporting frame in opposite directions, acontinuous gentle vibrationof the machine. while in close supporting; contact with theudd er, The efiect of such vibration is found to besoothiiig to the cow, and

to promote the flow 'of-milk from the udder.

into the teats, until the milk supply, inthe udder'is entirelyexhausted. 7

After the milkce'asesto flowffrom' the teats, the machine may beiremoved, although,

as was previously specified, no close attentionto ,the time of its removal is necessary because the operation'of the machine may continue indefinitely without 1n ur1ous results of any sort.

What Iclaim is: i I V 1. Ina milking machine, the combination with an assembling member, an intermediate v vert cal partition thereon, and properly dis posed for milking, four stationary coinpressing'members on said partition, two on opposite sides and substantially at opposite ends thereof, respectively, of driving mechanism,

four movable compressing members comple-' mentary to said stationary members,'respece tively, means of operative connection be tween the driving mechanism and the said movable compressing members for actuating iio them to and from the stationary members,

and means independent of the driving mechanism for simultaneously effecting movement of each pair of movable compressing members to the limit of their separation from the a stationary compressing members. A

2. In a milking machine, the combination,

i' eaagii a with an assembling member, an intermediate vertical partition thereon, and properly disposed for milking, four stationary compress ing members on said partition, two onoppo site sides and substantially at opposite ends thereof respectively, of driving mechanism, four; movable compressingmembers complementary to; said stationary members, respectively, means of operative connection be tween the driving mechanism and the said movable compressing "members for actuating them to and from the stationary members, and means independent of the driving mech-.

munication therewith, of a pluralityv ofv finger-supporting frames operatively carried in vertical series on said assembling member, a series of cams fixed to said arbor in cooperative communication with said frames,

respectively, in definite successive order ofoperation substantially as specified, said cams 7 being each substantially in the shape'ofa quarter sector and the means of said operative communication between them and said frames being adapted to prevent movement of the frames independently of the move ment of the cams.

4. In a milking machine, the combination with an assembling member comprising a transverse vertical partition, driving mechanism comprising a horizontal rotative meniber, and a vertical arbor in operative com munication therewith, of a plurality of finger-supporting frames operatively carried in vertical series on said assembling mam-V her, a series of cams fixed to said arbor in cooperative communication with said frames, respectively, in definite successive order of operation substantially as specified, said cams being substantially in the shape of a quarter sector, and the means of said operative communication between them and said frames being adapted .toprevent movement of the frames independently of the movement of the cams, and compressing members yieldingly secured to said frames, whereby they may receive an independent movement from the movement of the frames.

5. In a milking machine, the combination with an assembling member comprising a transverse vertical partition driving mecha- V nism and a horizontal rotative vertical arbor in operative communicationtherewith of a plurality of finger-supporting frames operatively carried in vertical .series onsaid as-' sembli-ng member, and a series of-cams fixed to said arborin cooperative communication with saidframes, respectively, in definite successive order of operation j substantially as specified, said cams being substantially in;

the shape of a quarter sector and' the means of said "operative communicationbetweenthem and said frames being adapted to pre-- vent movement of the frames independently of-the movement of the'cams', compressing members yieldingly secured to said frames,

whereby they may receive an independent movement from the-movement of the frames, and meanscarried by the assembling memher for actuating the compressing members against the force of the yielding resistance provided in their means of support upon the finger-suiipo'r'ting frame; I

6. In amilking machine, the combination with an assembling member comprising a transverse vertical partition, driving'me'chanism, and a horizontal rotative vertical arbor in operative communication therewith, P

of a plurality; of finger-supporting frames operatively carr ed in vertical series on said assembling member, a series "of cams fixed to said arbor in cooperative communication f with said frames, respectively, in definite successive order of operation substantially as specified, said cams being substantially in the shape of a quarter sector, and the means of said operative communication between them and said frames being adapted to prevent movement of the frames independently of the movement of the cams, compressing membersyieldingly secured to said frames,

whereby they may receive an independent I movement from the movement of'the'fram-es, and'means carried by the assembling membar for actuating the compressing members against the force of the yielding resistance provided in their means of supportupon the finger-supporting frame, said actuating means last named comprising engaging members on the said yielding means of sup- 7 port and v legs operatively depending in the path of the engaging members from oppositely movable plates carried by a cap plate provided for the assembling member.

7. In a milking machine, the combination with a frame having a plurality of teat chambers, a plurality of movable teat compressing members associated with said chambers for compressing the teats, means for operating the compressing members, and means independent of aforesaid means for simultaneously effecting movement of' the movable compressing members to the limit" of their separation from the walls of the teat chamber.

l 8. In a milking machine, the combination with a frame having teat chambers, a plurality of teat compressing members slidably associated with the frame, drivingmeans for a "9. In a milking maohine, the combination with a frame having a plurality of teat chambers, a plurality of compressing members co-operating with the teat chambers for 1 compressing the teats, said members being 3 provided with sleeves for slidable mounting on said frame, said sleeves being provided with lateral extensions, drive meansfor moving the compressing members to efiect cooperation thereof with the teat Chambers,

and means'indepenclent of said drivemeans for slmultaneous engagement wlth said lat-m eral extensions for moving said compressing members to n0n-compressing positions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

l 1 GEORGE A. BRODIE; Q 

